MILWAUKEE, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic has led companies to rapidly accelerate digitization plans, according to new ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) research released this week at World Economic Forum's #DavosAgenda.

The survey of 26,000+ employers in more than 40 countries finds those companies that are digitizing most are creating the most jobs:

• Organizations are accelerating their digitization as a result of the pandemic: 38% are speeding up, while just 17% have put plans on hold.
• Employers that are digitizing plan to increase or maintain their headcount: 86% of those that have accelerated digitization will add roles compared to just 11% of employers who plan to reduce or hold their automation plans.
• The impact of the pandemic on digitization differs significantly around the world: Employers in Germany, Austria, Japan, and Italy report automation has accelerated most as the result of COVID-19 while those in the U.S., France and the U.K. are least likely to have sped up digitization.
• HR accelerates as a business priority: Organizations that are digitizing most are also planning significant increases in HR headcount (net increase of +15%). A shift from 2018 when HR headcount was predicted by most employers to see no growth.
• COVID-19 has shifted HR priorities for the long-term: HR leaders see employee health and wellbeing as the most important priority, with 63% set to put it top of their agenda for 2021 and beyond.

"Our research reinforces that digital transformation is occurring at an accelerating pace," said Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup Chairman & CEO. "Today technology breakthroughs are driving mass vaccination programs, workforce transformation and flexibility, plus a call for better work-life blend, more upskilling and greater autonomy over how, when and where work gets done. One year into the pandemic though, we are seeing the emergence of a K-shaped recovery. Some industries and people are bouncing back faster and better - while others are at risk of falling further behind. Helping people to upskill and reskill for in-demand roles in this Skills Revolution remains the defining challenge of this decade. At the #DavosAgenda this week we look forward to sharing and accelerating actions that will enable more people to unleash their full human potential and have a more equitable share of prosperity."

When skills needs are changing faster than ever, organizations need refreshed workforce development strategies to attract, develop, engage and retain the best talent. Skills Revolution Reboot provides innovative solutions for the Skills Revolution:

• SkillsInSight™: ManpowerGroup's proprietary digital assessment to help people identify their strengths and work preferences, leveraging AI to predict an individual's likely fit for the role.
• MyPath: provides clear pathways of career progression for growth roles in cybersecurity, cloud computing, fintech and advanced manufacturing to close the skills gap, improve people's employability and help address the economic and social impact of the pandemic.
• Experis Tech Academies work with a broad range of clients, technical schools and universities to design curriculum for learners that can be applied on the job even before the learning is complete.

ManpowerGroup executives Jonas Prising, Michelle Nettles, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Francois Lancon, Harld Peters and Becky Frankiewicz will be leading and participating in discussions at this week's virtual #DavosAgenda. Jonas Prising will join Angel Gurria, Secretary-General OECD in a virtual session on Skilling The Global Workforce, moderated by the BBC on Thursday January 28 at 16.15-17.00 CET. Follow the conversation:  @ManpowerGroup.

About ManpowerGroup®

ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organizations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower®, Experis®, Right Management® and ManpowerGroup® Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across 80 countries and territories and has done so for over 70 years. In 2019, ManpowerGroup was named one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies for the seventeenth year and one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the tenth year, confirming our position as the most trusted brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup is powering the future of work: www.manpowergroup.com.

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SOURCE ManpowerGroup

Emma Almond, (414) 544-1489, emma.almond@manpowergroup.com